Tucker Cars for Sale

1948 Tucker ’48 #1046

The story of Preston Tucker and his incredible automobile exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. A man with vision and innovation brings a new car to market that is unlike its competition and shakes up the entire nation. In spite of all the obstacles, he produces 51 automobiles so exceptional that 70 years later they have become the most valuable, post war, American sedan. Quite Extraordinary!

These cars are powered by and aluminum 335 cubic inch, opposed, 6 cylinder engine with 167 horse power and an astonishing 390 pound feet of torque. The power is delivered to the wheels through a 4 speed, electric pre-select transmission. This combination delivered extraordinary performance for the time. 0 to 60mph was recorded at 10 seconds and a top speed of 130 miles per hour. This was considered a rocket ship in 1948! The suspension was also unique. It had no springs. Instead, it utilized rubber torsion units called Torsilastic suspension. This was executed with 4 wheel independent suspension and the result was a smooth and great handling ride.

Safety was a primary feature of these cars. Pop-out windshields, the first padded dash board, safety crash compartment and aviation style doors were all part of the innovative features. There were also other unique attributes, such as reversible seat cushions, door exit buttons instead of handles, rear engine for improved traction, and probably the best known feature…the Third Headlight, that would light your way into turns.

The car and its story was so exceptional that it was the subject of a major motion film, released in 1988 starring Jeff Bridges “Tucker, the man and his dream”.

The example seen here is car #46 and it is most exceptional. Having recently completed a no expense spared, rotisserie restoration by marque specialists and overseen by Mark Lieberman (Recognized Tucker Technical Expert), the result is breathtaking. Every aspect both cosmetically and mechanically has been attended to. The unique torsilastic suspension has been restored to better than new operation. The engine and transmission have been completely rebuilt back to the original, factory specifications. The original paint color has been perfectly reproduced from original samples found on this car. The correct textiles and materials have been faithfully reproduced on the interior, creating a cabin with its original feel and appearance. This was an exceptionally expensive and time consuming process but the result was well worth the effort.

Each of these cars tell their own story and are somewhat unique in both execution (they were all hand built) and history. This car indeed has a very interesting and colorful history that is well documented.

Few of these exceptional cars remain in private hands and only a couple of them in this extraordinary condition and correctness. This is for the discerning collector that is passionate about innovative designs, mechanical ingenuity and the entrepreneurial spirit.

Meetings by Appointment Only

Only 51 of these incredible cars were produced and today 47 still exist. The majority of them are in major museums, such as The Henry Ford Museum, The Peterson Museum and the Nethercutt Museum. Their amazing attributes along with a storied history have made these the most valuable, postwar American sedan of all time!

This beautiful Tucker was constructed by Classic and Exotic Restorations of Troy Michigan using authentic Tucker components and drive train. The chassis was factory built for the purpose of testing the Tuckermatic transmission. The front clip originated from Tucker #1018. That car suffered severe damage in a side collision in the early 1950s. Other parts donors included Tucker #1027 which was rolled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during endurance testing by the Tucker Corporation and parts from the unfinished body shell of #1055. The engine, Y1 transmission and numerous other parts came from the Stan Gilland collection. This collection of parts was held for many years by various car collectors with the intention of assembling it all to build a Tucker car. In 2013 It all came together in the talented hands of Brian Joseph at Classic and Exotic Restoration.

The result is a beautifully built Tucker that was constructed from genuine Tucker parts. Great attention to detail was paid to maintaining authenticity in presentation and function. The car has the correct Torsilastic rubber suspension along with the late style Tucker suspension. The 335ci engine is an early example and its mated to the Tucker Y1, 4 speed, pre-select transmission. The interior is correct wool broadcloth in the authentic Tucker stitch pattern. The instruments, switches and controls are all proper and function correctly.

This is a excellent, historically important automobile that is the center of attention at any event it attends. In 2015 it won its class at the Concours of America at St Johns in Plymouth Michigan. This car presents a unique opportunity to own a Tucker for half the cost of a factory built example.